(Radio Iowa) – Former Vice President Mike Pence says he welcomes Governor Kim Reynolds’ pledge to remain neutral right now in the 2024 presidential race. Pence’s comments come after former President Donald Trump lashed out at Reynolds, noting he endorsed her in 2018. Trump said Reynolds was not being invited to his campaign events because she won’t endorse a candidate before the Iowa Caucuses. “It’s not the first time that my former running mate has expressed his opinion or his frustration with people acting on their own lights and their own steam,” Pence says. “But for my part I’m grateful that Governor Kim Reynolds is continuing that great tradition of neutrality.”

Sitting Iowa governors rarely endorse a candidate before the Iowa Caucuses. It’s only happened twice in the last 44 years. Reynolds has said her neutrality shows all candidates are welcome to campaign in Iowa. Pence says he’s grateful for the words of encouragement Reynolds has given him about his campaign. “I’m a great admirer of Governor Kim Reynolds. She and I have been friends since my days as governor when she was serving as an exceptional lieutenant governor,” Pence says.

Pence is praising Reynolds for calling the legislature back into special session yesterday (Tuesday) to pass a fetal heartbeat law. It will ban most abortions after an ultrasound can detect cardiac activity. That happens around the sixth week of a pregnancy. “I couldn’t be more grateful for the stand for the right to life that Republicans in the Iowa House and Senate have taken. I look forward to the day, this coming Friday, when Governor Kim Reynolds will sign that heartbeat bill into law,” Pence says. “I think it’s evidence that life is winning Iowa and life is winning in America and I join pro-lifers across the country in just cheering them on.”

Pence is among the six G-O-P presidential candidates who will be speaking Friday in Des Moines at The Family Leader’s Leadership Summit. Pence says his message to the group is that he’ll be a champion of traditional marriage and the pro-life cause if he’s elected president. “We’ll stand for those issues as we have throughout our lives,” Pence said.

As a leading Republican conservative in congress in 2006, Pence called for an amendment to the U-S constitution that would define marriage as between a man and a woman. As governor of Indiana, he signed a religious freedom law in 2015 that lets citizens of that state who’re being sued cite their religious beliefs as a defense.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors met this (Wednesday) morning, and acted on approving a handful of matters, including:

• Acknowledging receipt of the FY22 MATURA Audit report
• A SICOG (Southern Iowa Council of Governments) Housing Trust Fund drawdown in the amount of $2,185.09, for five houses for January through June. (Auditor Mandy Berg explains)…

The Board also approved an ICAP (Iowa Communities Assurance Pool) renewal agreement, with a change in liability amount. And, Homestead & Military disallowances, as recommended by the Auditor Mandy Berg. In other business, the Board received and approved for publishing, a Semi-Annual report from Adair County Treasurer Brenda Wallace.

Adair County Engineer Nick Kauffman presented the Supervisors for their approval, paperwork for a 28E County Line Agreement ,with Guthrie County. A verbal agreement that was established in 2004 had never been formally written, or changed, until now. It primarily involves snow removal and maintenance. The agreement, approved by the Board, specifies Guthrie County will maintain their jurisdiction on White Pole Road from Casey, to east of Highway 25, and snow removal all the way to Dexter.

The Board approved the agreement as presented. Board Chair Jerry Walker, with the Board’s approval, signed a final voucher for a reinforced concrete box culvert (RBC) for the N25 Grand River township Culvert Project, as well as the Contract and Performance Bonds for the Eureka and Prussia township Culvert Extension Projects. The Board approved credit card user changes, effectively removing Ray Palmer, and adding Adam Comstock/New Roads Superintendent and Nathan Jensen, Weed Commissioner.

And, Kauffman updated the Adair County Supervisors on Secondary Roads Dept. Maintenance and Activities. He mentioned they were waiting on Alliant Energy before removing downed trees in the Fontanelle area (See the photo on the kjan.com News or Weather pages).

Kauffman said on Monday, there are two local bid lettings for box culvert projects, and on Tuesday, a DOT letting on a box culvert project.

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(Radio Iowa) – A community project to temporarily cover the Sioux City Art Center with bright, colorful fabric is about to get underway. New York-based artist Amanda Browder will spearhead the major installation that will ramp up during the festival known as Artsplash in September, and it will be revealed at Artsplash in 2024.”I call myself a large-scale fabric installation artist,” she says. “I’ve studied art, I’ve taught at the Art Institute of Chicago. I’ve been living in Brooklyn for the last 16 years as a full-time artist and this is what I do, I cover buildings in textile.” Browder’s project will be a huge undertaking that will involve gathering the fabric, then having community sewing days to create the massive cloth art installation that will cover the art center.

“We’re doing a call saying, ‘Hey, we’re looking for textile fabric that people are interested in donating to the project,'” Browder says. They need, “saturated color patterns, solid colors, non-stretchy and sadly, no clothing, so that we can build this large-scale fabric piece together and put it on the building.” Browder hopes to have a lot of community input for the public sewing days events. “What public sewing days are is, I host a session where I bring all the sewing machines, I bring all the textile that’s been donated, and we stitch pieces together,” Browder says. “No experience necessary. Anybody can just come. You don’t even have to sew, you can just come and see what we’re doing.” At the end, Browder wants people to be able to stand back, point to the colorful creation and say, “I made that!” Browder will return to Sioux City for this year’s Artsplash and hopes to meet and recruit many locals for the project.

“I can see us making something big together,” she says. “The fabric, if I see this building, of course, I want to cover the whole thing, but usually it’s based on time and location. Also, I just want people to be able to walk past the building and see something different.” The finished work will cover the art center’s atrium, glass hallway, brick, and a portion of the Gilchrist Learning Center. It will remain on the building for about two months and will create a stained glass, kaleidoscope effect within the art center. Anyone interested in sewing or donating fabric may contact the Sioux City Art Center or contact the artist online at http://amandabrowder.com/

ATLANTIC, Iowa – July 12, 2023 – Officials with the Iowa DOT’s District 4 Construction Office in Atlantic report, “If you travel on Iowa 191 from east of Interstate 880 to the Shelby County line you need to be aware of an upcoming construction project that includes concrete patching, sidewalk work, pavement shoulder widening, and hot-mix asphalt paving. This construction work may slow down your trip beginning on Monday, July 17 until early November 2023, weather permitting.”

On weekdays, the road will be down to one lane. If you need to travel on Iowa 191 during this time, you’ll be helped through the work area by a pilot car.

ATLANTIC, Iowa – July 12, 2023 – The Iowa DOT’s District 4 Construction Office in Atlantic, says if you travel on U.S. 30 from .8 miles east of Interstate 29 to Missouri Valley, you need to be aware of an upcoming hot-mix asphalt paving project that may slow down your trip beginning on Monday, July 17 until Friday, Sept. 15, weather permitting.

On weekdays, the road will be down to one lane. If you need to travel on U.S. 30 during this time, you’ll be helped through the work area by a pilot car. Work on U.S. 30 from North Willow Road to 9th Street will be completed over two weekends. During the weekend work, one lane of traffic and adjacent parking will be open for you to use.

Help keep everyone on the road safer. Drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, you should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

The latest traveler information is available anytime through the 511 system. Visit 511ia.org; call 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide);

(Will be updated as reports come in)

Numerous reports from across southwest and western Iowa, as well as eastern Nebraska, of trees and power lines down.

7:30-a.m., Union County EMA reports an estimated 50 mph gust of wind in Creston.

7:17-a.m., 65 mph wind gust reported by the public, 1 mile north of Fontanelle.

7:05-a.m., tree down across the road near Cumberland (location unclear)

7:10-a.m. Tree down across the road at 3rd and Linn, in Atlantic.

3rd & Linn in Atlantic (Lori Murphy, photo)

7:16-a.m., Atlantic Fire dispatched for a tree fire along Hwy 71, just south of Memphis Road; Fire out now (7:26-a.m.). Tree down across the power line.

7:12-a.m, Power outage reported in SW/SE Atlantic by residents.

7:12-a.m., Tstm Wind Gust in Corning estimated at 70 mph (report from the Public)

6:38-a.m., Multiple trees damaged in Council Bluffs.

6:17-a.m., Thunderstorm wind damage 3 miles E/SE of Council Bluffs. Roof blown-off the Titan Hill Intermediate School.

6:12-a.m.,  Hail just under the size of pennies reported in Earlham.

Montgomery County EMA photo

Montgomery County EMA photo

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Fair is underway in Greenfield, from now through July 16th. View today’s schedule below:

(Audubon, Iowa) – A five-day run of the Audubon County Fair begins today (Wednesday). You can see the complete schedule HERE. Today’s activities at the fair include:

9:00 AM Judging 4-H Static Exhibits
9:00 AM-6:00 PM Fair board secretary’s office open
9:30 AM 4-H Garden Plot Judging
2:00 PM 4-H Communications & Table Setting Event – Agrihall
4:00 PM Open Class exhibits may arrive
4:00 PM Clover Kids Pet Show – Rabbit & Poultry Show Area
4:30 PM Clover Kids Showcase – 4-H Bldg.
5:00 PM 4-H Pet & Dog Show – Livestock Pavilion
6:00 PM 4-H Club booth displays must be set-up

Des Moines, Iowa – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, Tuesday, announced that nominations for the 2023 John Lewis Youth Leadership award are now open for all Iowans aged 25 and under.  The John Lewis Leadership Award was established in 2021 as a way for every state to honor the extraordinary accomplishments of Congressman John Lewis. Secretaries of State across the nation are encouraged to recognize gifted, civic-minded young people with demonstrated leadership abilities with the award each year.

Nominations for the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award are open to Iowa residents aged 25 years or under for their meaningful commitment in addressing civil rights issues and bringing about authentic change in their communities. All nominations will be reviewed by the Office of the Iowa Secretary of State. Nomination closes on October 6 and recipients will be recognized in December.

Nomination forms are available at:

https://sos.iowa.gov/Initiatives/JohnLewisYouthAward.html

The John Lewis Youth Leadership Award was established by the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) and each state is encouraged to award up to two recipients each calendar year.